Bespoke: a Tiny Christmas Tale
Publisher Description
A Secret. A Bicycle. A Promise…
While the elusive Secret Symphony of Giovanni St. John captivated the world’s fascination, it left his daughter closed away in the Silent House – she, the one who holds the fullness of truth about the ninth symphony. Now Aria St. John is determined to not only break free of the loss that has defined her, but to honor her father through one final gift in his last days.
On the tiny Isle of Espoir, only one man can help in her quest: James Shaw, the village blacksmith… and the lost friend of her childhood. Will they be able to overcome the tragedy that separated them before it’s too late?
Written to slip easily into the stolen moments of the busy holiday season, this enchanting novelette delves into the miracle of second chances, the gift of God's healing redemption, and the joy of the unexpected.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Dykes's debut novel is a lighthearted tale of finally requited love set on the fictional Isle of Espoir in the English Channel. Aria St. John and her father, famous composer Giovianni St. John, return to the island after 15 years for what the famous maestro says will be his last performance, to take place on Christmas Eve. Although Aria has never been to one of her father's symphonies and is eager to help, she returns to Espoir with additional plans of her own. James Shaw, a blacksmith and her childhood friend, has been waiting for a decade and a half to set things right with her. After an accident takes away her ability to play music, Aria hatches a plan to melt down her former instruments to make Giovianni a bicycle to ride to his final symphony. Will the enigmatic Giovanni forgive James's youthful indiscretions and accept the gift? With Aria's design skills and James's metal-working ability, the two set off to change the course of their unfinished romantic history. Though the juxtaposition of music and bicycles may seem a stretch, Dykes pulls it together well, creating a rich tale that carries readers into the heart of love.
